Register Now

In order to be able to post messages on the SailNet Community forums, you must first register. Please enter your desired user name, your email address and other required details in the form below.Please note: After entering 3 characters a list of Usernames already in use will appear and the list will disappear once a valid Username is entered.

User Name:

Password

Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.

Password:

Confirm Password:

Email Address

Please enter a valid email address for yourself.

Email Address:

OR

Log-in

User Name

Password

Remember Me?

Human Verification

In order to verify that you are a human and not a spam bot, please enter the answer into the following box below based on the instructions contained in the graphic.

Additional Options

Miscellaneous Options

Automatically parse links in text

Automatically embed media (requires automatic parsing of links in text to be on).

Automatically retrieve titles from external links

Click here to view the posting rules you are bound to when clicking the'Submit Reply' button below

Topic Review (Newest First)

11-07-2009 11:36 AM

sailingdog

First, a good manual bilge pump would work better, and let you pump longer and faster than a bucket would... and second, using the engine to empty the bilge is IMHO a relatively stupid idea, as most sailboat diesels pump relatively little water and running the risk of compromising the engine when its power may be needed most is not very smart. Most bilges have a fair amount of debris and such that are likely to clog the engine cooling passages.

To be honest, if I'm ever in a situation where I need both pumps to keep the boat afloat, I'm breaking out the bucket and switching the engine intake to bilge intake!

11-07-2009 11:24 AM

Sabreman

In our boat, either Sabre or the dealer separately routed the outputs from the rule pump and the manual aft. They then joined them in a "T" about 12" from the overboard discharge. Works beautifully. Note that I discarded the check valve that someone put on the rule pump and installed a vented loop to minimize backflow.

To be honest, if I'm ever in a situation where I need both pumps to keep the boat afloat, I'm breaking out the bucket and switching the engine intake to bilge intake!

11-07-2009 08:27 AM

sweetdreamyamaha

Thanks everyone for the advice. I am going to routing the discharge to the cockpit sounds easy and a good idea.

10-27-2009 10:42 AM

jjablonowski

Run it separately

I went through this a while back. And there was a discussion on SailNet. (But I can't seem to post a linkback to the Gear-Maintenance Forum thread 44434 from 6/25/2008 without the automatic shopping link interrupting!).

End result: Rather than putting another hole in the hull, I dumped the output from the second (electric) bilge pump into the cockpit, from whence it drained out the (sizeable) scuppers. Side benefit: when your feet get unexpectedly wet, you've just been informed you have a serious problem.

10-26-2009 10:10 AM

sailingdog

You do realize that doing this will probably reduce the output of the Rule bilge pump by over 50% of its rated capacity... Generally, centrifugal pumps, like the Rule, should have as short a run with smooth walled hose and no check valves as possible. The diaphragm pump will act as a set of check valves and cut the output drastically.

You're really better off putting each pump on its own output..... I'd also point out that if you're taking on water, having the two pumps in series means that you're limited to using one or the other... not both... and that might cost you your boat—pennywise and really pound foolish.

10-26-2009 09:46 AM

Faster

You'd be seriously degrading the performance of the electrical pump (if it worked at all), and you'll really have no redundancy in your systems. A clog of any kind anywhere would incapacitate both pumps.

You'll be far better off with two separate systems, including discharges.

10-26-2009 04:46 AM

sweetdreamyamaha

Installing automatic bilge pump in series with diaphram bilge pump...

I recently purchased an automatic rule bilge pump. My sailboat, a Yamaha 30C is equipped with a manual diaphragm pump. Is it ok to connect the automatic bilge pump outlet directly to the input of the manual diaphragm pump?

The two pumps will then be in series instead of having separate inlets and outlets. The diaphragm pump should act like a check valve I believe. Has anyone else done this? Any issues? Any input will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.